How To Go From Functional Expert To Influential Leader

Maya Grossman
May 29
3 min read

A few years ago, I was working on a new website redesign. I saw a bunch of issues — UX problems, outdated branding, confusing structure — and I had clear ideas for how to fix them. So I brought my feedback straight to the CEO.

And I did what most high performers do: I told him what was wrong, why I was right, and exactly how we should do it better.

He listened politely… and then said no.

A few days later, a colleague stepped in to support the project. But he took a different approach. He framed it around improving the user journey, increasing lead conversion, and making the brand experience consistent with our company’s growth goals. He made it clear that the vision was aligned with what the CEO already wanted.

He got an immediate yes.

That was the moment it clicked: it’s not about having the best idea.

It’s about positioning the idea so it’s easy to say yes to.

The problem: You’re brilliant… but stuck.

A lot of high performers plateau at the Director level because they don’t understand the real game. It’s not about being the expert. It’s about being influential.

That means:

Knowing who you’re talking to
Understanding what matters to them
And selling your idea like it’s a no-brainer for the business

If you present an airtight case, but your leader doesn’t see how it solves their problems or supports the company’s goals — you’ll still hear “no.”

Not because your idea isn’t good — but because you couldn’t make the case for it.

The fix: Influence, not just information

To move from functional expert to strategic leader, you have to stop thinking like a contributor and start thinking like a lobbyist.

You’re not just sharing ideas — you’re building buy-in.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Frame the decision, not the idea

When you pitch an idea, don’t just explain it — frame the decision your leader needs to make.

The best way to do this is with a simple tool called a Decision Brief. It helps you shift from sharing information to driving alignment and action.

It has four parts:

Business Tension – What’s the challenge we’re solving? What’s at stake?
What We’re Seeing – The data, signals, or patterns that support taking action
What We Recommend – The action you’re proposing, why it makes sense, and what results we expect
What We Need – A clear ask: input, alignment, or a decision

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Don’t say:

“We should redesign the onboarding flow. Here’s what I think we should change and why it’ll improve the experience.”

Say this instead:

Business Tension: Activation rates are down 15% this quarter — we’re losing new users in the first 3 minutes.

What We’re Seeing: Drop-off is concentrated in the first 2 steps of onboarding, based on last month’s funnel data.

What We Recommend: Redesign the first 2 steps to shorten time-to-value and reduce friction. We expect to reduce drop-off by 20% and recover ~$500K in lost user revenue over the next quarter.

What We Need: Alignment on prioritizing this project in next sprint planning.

This simple shift in how you present your ideas positions you as someone who understands business priorities and is ready to lead.